Morecambe boss Bentley: Same old Shrimps are making progress

Morecambe may be in exactly the same position as they were after 25 games last season but boss Jim Bentley feels they are making progress.
Jim Bentley has been frustrated some decisions that have gone against his side this season. Picture: Matt RushtonJim Bentley has been frustrated some decisions that have gone against his side this season. Picture: Matt Rushton
Jim Bentley has been frustrated some decisions that have gone against his side this season. Picture: Matt Rushton

The numbers are identical for The Shrimps ahead of the trip to Northampton on Saturday with 10 wins, 10 defeats, five draws and a plus two goal difference leaving them on 35 points, just five shy of the League 2 play-off places. Bentley said: “We’re five points behind and we’ve got a game in hand on a couple of the teams above us.

“We are four unbeaten at the minute and it’s pushed us into a healthy position which is exactly the same as what it was last year – 10 wins, five draws and 10 losses with a plus two goal difference.

“It’s bizarre but overall we’re doing okay.

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“It could have been better but it could have been worse, look at the teams in the bottom three.

“I think we’ve done okay so far and the lads deserve every credit.”

The Shrimps boss believes he has a better squad at his disposal this season with Shaun Miller and Tom Barkhuizen amongst the additions at the Globe Arena since the end of the last campaign.

Despite frustration over some decisions that have gone against his side Bentley is looking to the positives as they push for the play-offs.

He said: “I believe that the squad is better this season.

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“We’ve had some terrible luck like losing Peter Murphy for long spells and the back four being very disrupted at the start of the season.

“We had some unbelievable luck with poor decisions going against us too.

“I know they’re job is hard but we had another one the other night where Kevin Ellison was onside and there were probably three players between him and the goalkeeper.

“It happens at every level, look at John Terry’s goal for Chelsea at Everton.

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“We’ve had a little bit of bad luck in that respect but there’s plenty of positives as well.

“We’re the second leading goalscorers in the division and the fifth leading goalscorers in the Football League.

“We want to be looking up now. The dogfight is quite a long way away from us and we seem quite close to the play-offs which is where we want to be.”